Most helpful positive review

4The good, the greedy, and the familiarity. (Stuck between 3.5 - 4 star)

ByExceed88on August 26, 2012

NSMB2's unveiling was met with a lot of praise and criticism by fans of the 3DS. After superb sales on the Wii (New Super Mario Bros. Wii), NSMB2 follows in its predecessor's footsteps but maybe a bit closer than some will want to admit. Of all the discussing I see some bickering fans partaking in, the word "rehash" seems as synonymous with this game in discussion as it is with a franchise the likes of Call of Duty or Madden. So the ultimate question probably should be "Is this really bad or not"?

Gameplay, more money more problems?:NSMB2 brings back just about all the gameplay elements of its Wii (and of course DS) predecessor in terms of gameplay style, mechanics and so on. As you can tell by the marketing campaign and the game case itself, NSMB2 takes pride in encouraging greedy players this time around. In addition to your usual princess rescuing routine a sub-goal of the game is to collect 1,000,000 gold coins throughout the course of your overall time playing the game. With a task as arduous as this you'll probably wonder if it's possible without sinking your life into the game. The answer is in a sense yes. There are a plethora of means to gain coins which range from the overpowered gold fire flower (which can destroy many enemies, blocks, and even rocks while giving you coins for everything destroyed by the spicy golden meatballs of death you fling), or turning enemies (such as koopas) into gold and kicking them away in which case they leave trails of coins for you. There are several more ways to earn quick coins but half the fun is in finding all the different ways the game will toss coins your way. Thar be gold in those hills!

Sadly the 1,000,000 coin goal falls relatively flat when you actually achieve your goal. You would think with such a hefty feat you'd be getting some amusing reward in return but the actuality of the situation will more than likely disappoint you. While I won't spoil the surprise I imagine there will be MANY facepalms when it comes time for the 1,000,000 coin revelation (there have already been for those who've spoiled themselves). Suffice it is to say that if you could deal with the disappointment that was Super Mario 64's completion reward then I suppose you could handle this well (hint, it's worse than that reward). I think the game may have been a bit better off without this "hook" but ultimately if you have fun playing for coins then the goal has arguably served its means.

Co-op, bros before toads:I'm going to be honest, I'd always rather play a Mario game solo, NSMBW was no exception. Unless you liked trolling your friends or bumbling around the stages, more (than 2) players tended to feel like a chore in performance from my experience. That said NSMB2 jumps down from 4 players to just 2: Mario and Luigi. This works out well enough since on a smaller screen 4 player co-op would likely be very uncomfortable. When you play a co-op game (which mind you you can't do this over the internet) the host takes the role of Mario and the guest becomes Luigi. Mario (the player) will select one of their own files and both players continue from the Mario player's file. Luigi's player will not get any progress in their file but they will be able to bolster their coin count while in a co-op game.

The whole game is up for grabs in co-op so you can play beginning to end. The same mechanics in place for NSMBW are at play here, players can bubble themselves out of some situations in which case their partner can tag them back into safety. This can be used to cooperatively aid lesser skilled players through more tricky segments of the game, provided that the remaining player is never harmed. Should there ever be only one of the two players actively onscreen (non-bubbled) and they lose a life then both players lose and will need to restart the stage or at that stage's checkpoint. Another cooperative tactic one can use is sharing stored power ups. Each player can hold one reserve power up item should a situation go bad for them. Said items are called in and dropped above the owner's head but either partner can pick the item up provided they touch it first. On a co-op level, NSMB2 can still be a bit chaotic but it feels proper (and fun) at the 2 player count.

Graphics & 3D, itsa me! Familiarity!:NSMB2 essentially matches NSMBW's graphics, but on a handheld. The game even retains NSMBW's solid frame rate consistently, even with 3D on. Character models are fluid and well done for the most part and the game looks as good as its predecessor. One can also argue that most of the game's assets literally feel directly lifted from NSMBW though. The character models obviously would be but the map designs/themes, stage designs, and so on literally make the game sometimes feel like it should be called NSMBW portable or an expansion to NSMBW. Much of what you'll see in the game will look familiar if you come from the previous NSMB title.

Meanwhile the 3D effect for NSMB2 is relatively minor. The 3D will amount to giving the game a bit more of a pop effect on the foreground layer and occasionally adds a touch to near foreground walls but otherwise 3D is not a big deal for this title (and it probably shouldn't be). However any time you are using the 3D settings in a stage the background will become blurred, detracting from details on background objects.

Sound, Bah! Bah bah...:The same way the game graphically feels lifted from NSMBW the same can be said of NSMB2's music, though in this case it is immediately obvious. The game's soundtrack is literally NSMBW's but with more bah. If you had a problem with bahs previously, you'd best get over them for NSMB2 because this is a game that is all about the bah, and it's even heard in castle themes now. Despite the obvious lifting, cheery music is what makes any Mario game Mario and of course, musical enjoyment is subjective (I've actually had quite a laugh over the hostility some fans have for the added bahs though).

Overall, the million coin question:Is New Super Mario Bros. 2 a rehash? As much as some defenders will relent to admit, it kind of is. The game's new gimmick never really changes much about how the game is played, the stages (and bosses) will look eerily familiar, and the music is immediately familiar. NSMB2 does have some of the criteria to be called a rehash. It may not do it on the caliber of other big named series but the point is, it does seemingly commit the crime regardless. The question is how do you feel about having more of something pretty similar (or the same)? I played NSMBW through for my nieces and while the best memories of my Mario days have been far behind me the game was still pretty enjoyable. I'm willing to pass the same judgment down to NSMB2 in that while it doesn't feel particularly mind blowing in any way, it is fun enough to be worth a spin. If you've for whatever reason never played a side scrolling Mario game though, this is a fun title to play. While the NSMB series never fully matches up to its roots, it's a fun homage to those titles that's even further accessible to newer/younger gamers.

Pros:- Co-op is fun and functional.- If you really liked NSMBW or even side scrolling Mario games in general, you may like this.- NSMB2 matches NSMBW's graphics, sound, and controls.- The golden flower may be mighty but it's not the difficulty killer the helicopter mushroom from NSMBW was.- NSMB2 is an accessible title to just about anyone given its difficulty.

Cons:- Not only does it match NSMBW's graphics, it literally feels like it reuses a lot of its assets.- The music is barely changed, in fact it feels like they only added more "bah"s.- The 1,000,000 coin gimmick does little to enhance the play, and its reward is truly underwhelming.- This isn't exactly a game for challenge seekers like the original Marios, the game is way more forgiving than its source of inspiration (SMB3, SMW).

Most helpful critical review

I'm usually pretty generous with my ratings, especially on Nintendo products because I've been a fan since the original NES came out. However, after finishing Mario 2 last week, I must express some frustration with the game. First and foremost, if you played Mario Bros for Wii or DS, this game is nearly identical in format. It's fun, but if you've played the others, this won't really excite you. I miss the days when all Mario games were completely different.

Secondly, and I hope this doesn't become a trend, once you unlock certain coin rush levels, you have to purchase them for $2.50 each. This is unacceptable. Everything I need to play the game should be included in the purchase price (which was costly enough to begin with.)

I am sad to say I will think twice before purchasing Super Mario Bros 3 if it ever comes out.

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I'm usually pretty generous with my ratings, especially on Nintendo products because I've been a fan since the original NES came out. However, after finishing Mario 2 last week, I must express some frustration with the game. First and foremost, if you played Mario Bros for Wii or DS, this game is nearly identical in format. It's fun, but if you've played the others, this won't really excite you. I miss the days when all Mario games were completely different.

Secondly, and I hope this doesn't become a trend, once you unlock certain coin rush levels, you have to purchase them for $2.50 each. This is unacceptable. Everything I need to play the game should be included in the purchase price (which was costly enough to begin with.)

I am sad to say I will think twice before purchasing Super Mario Bros 3 if it ever comes out.

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NSMB2's unveiling was met with a lot of praise and criticism by fans of the 3DS. After superb sales on the Wii (New Super Mario Bros. Wii), NSMB2 follows in its predecessor's footsteps but maybe a bit closer than some will want to admit. Of all the discussing I see some bickering fans partaking in, the word "rehash" seems as synonymous with this game in discussion as it is with a franchise the likes of Call of Duty or Madden. So the ultimate question probably should be "Is this really bad or not"?

Gameplay, more money more problems?:NSMB2 brings back just about all the gameplay elements of its Wii (and of course DS) predecessor in terms of gameplay style, mechanics and so on. As you can tell by the marketing campaign and the game case itself, NSMB2 takes pride in encouraging greedy players this time around. In addition to your usual princess rescuing routine a sub-goal of the game is to collect 1,000,000 gold coins throughout the course of your overall time playing the game. With a task as arduous as this you'll probably wonder if it's possible without sinking your life into the game. The answer is in a sense yes. There are a plethora of means to gain coins which range from the overpowered gold fire flower (which can destroy many enemies, blocks, and even rocks while giving you coins for everything destroyed by the spicy golden meatballs of death you fling), or turning enemies (such as koopas) into gold and kicking them away in which case they leave trails of coins for you. There are several more ways to earn quick coins but half the fun is in finding all the different ways the game will toss coins your way. Thar be gold in those hills!

Sadly the 1,000,000 coin goal falls relatively flat when you actually achieve your goal. You would think with such a hefty feat you'd be getting some amusing reward in return but the actuality of the situation will more than likely disappoint you. While I won't spoil the surprise I imagine there will be MANY facepalms when it comes time for the 1,000,000 coin revelation (there have already been for those who've spoiled themselves). Suffice it is to say that if you could deal with the disappointment that was Super Mario 64's completion reward then I suppose you could handle this well (hint, it's worse than that reward). I think the game may have been a bit better off without this "hook" but ultimately if you have fun playing for coins then the goal has arguably served its means.

Co-op, bros before toads:I'm going to be honest, I'd always rather play a Mario game solo, NSMBW was no exception. Unless you liked trolling your friends or bumbling around the stages, more (than 2) players tended to feel like a chore in performance from my experience. That said NSMB2 jumps down from 4 players to just 2: Mario and Luigi. This works out well enough since on a smaller screen 4 player co-op would likely be very uncomfortable. When you play a co-op game (which mind you you can't do this over the internet) the host takes the role of Mario and the guest becomes Luigi. Mario (the player) will select one of their own files and both players continue from the Mario player's file. Luigi's player will not get any progress in their file but they will be able to bolster their coin count while in a co-op game.

The whole game is up for grabs in co-op so you can play beginning to end. The same mechanics in place for NSMBW are at play here, players can bubble themselves out of some situations in which case their partner can tag them back into safety. This can be used to cooperatively aid lesser skilled players through more tricky segments of the game, provided that the remaining player is never harmed. Should there ever be only one of the two players actively onscreen (non-bubbled) and they lose a life then both players lose and will need to restart the stage or at that stage's checkpoint. Another cooperative tactic one can use is sharing stored power ups. Each player can hold one reserve power up item should a situation go bad for them. Said items are called in and dropped above the owner's head but either partner can pick the item up provided they touch it first. On a co-op level, NSMB2 can still be a bit chaotic but it feels proper (and fun) at the 2 player count.

Graphics & 3D, itsa me! Familiarity!:NSMB2 essentially matches NSMBW's graphics, but on a handheld. The game even retains NSMBW's solid frame rate consistently, even with 3D on. Character models are fluid and well done for the most part and the game looks as good as its predecessor. One can also argue that most of the game's assets literally feel directly lifted from NSMBW though. The character models obviously would be but the map designs/themes, stage designs, and so on literally make the game sometimes feel like it should be called NSMBW portable or an expansion to NSMBW. Much of what you'll see in the game will look familiar if you come from the previous NSMB title.

Meanwhile the 3D effect for NSMB2 is relatively minor. The 3D will amount to giving the game a bit more of a pop effect on the foreground layer and occasionally adds a touch to near foreground walls but otherwise 3D is not a big deal for this title (and it probably shouldn't be). However any time you are using the 3D settings in a stage the background will become blurred, detracting from details on background objects.

Sound, Bah! Bah bah...:The same way the game graphically feels lifted from NSMBW the same can be said of NSMB2's music, though in this case it is immediately obvious. The game's soundtrack is literally NSMBW's but with more bah. If you had a problem with bahs previously, you'd best get over them for NSMB2 because this is a game that is all about the bah, and it's even heard in castle themes now. Despite the obvious lifting, cheery music is what makes any Mario game Mario and of course, musical enjoyment is subjective (I've actually had quite a laugh over the hostility some fans have for the added bahs though).

Overall, the million coin question:Is New Super Mario Bros. 2 a rehash? As much as some defenders will relent to admit, it kind of is. The game's new gimmick never really changes much about how the game is played, the stages (and bosses) will look eerily familiar, and the music is immediately familiar. NSMB2 does have some of the criteria to be called a rehash. It may not do it on the caliber of other big named series but the point is, it does seemingly commit the crime regardless. The question is how do you feel about having more of something pretty similar (or the same)? I played NSMBW through for my nieces and while the best memories of my Mario days have been far behind me the game was still pretty enjoyable. I'm willing to pass the same judgment down to NSMB2 in that while it doesn't feel particularly mind blowing in any way, it is fun enough to be worth a spin. If you've for whatever reason never played a side scrolling Mario game though, this is a fun title to play. While the NSMB series never fully matches up to its roots, it's a fun homage to those titles that's even further accessible to newer/younger gamers.

Pros:- Co-op is fun and functional.- If you really liked NSMBW or even side scrolling Mario games in general, you may like this.- NSMB2 matches NSMBW's graphics, sound, and controls.- The golden flower may be mighty but it's not the difficulty killer the helicopter mushroom from NSMBW was.- NSMB2 is an accessible title to just about anyone given its difficulty.

Cons:- Not only does it match NSMBW's graphics, it literally feels like it reuses a lot of its assets.- The music is barely changed, in fact it feels like they only added more "bah"s.- The 1,000,000 coin gimmick does little to enhance the play, and its reward is truly underwhelming.- This isn't exactly a game for challenge seekers like the original Marios, the game is way more forgiving than its source of inspiration (SMB3, SMW).

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The first thing you have to be amazed at is how great the game actually looks, while it doesn't come as a surprise it still felt like you were playing a console version game instead of the portable one. Also the wireless co-op is great fun when playing with a friend without the hassle of wire hookups and whatnot. While the game is just a portable version of Super Mario Bros it's still a blast to have if you're traveling by bus/train/plane/car and are looking for away to pass the time.So for any Mario fan who has a 3DS this is one game you must add to your library when you get a chance.

Thank goodness my library had a copy because I am so glad I didn't buy this. Basically this game takes 6-10 hours to beat and unlock the extras. The comparisons to Super Mario Brothers 3 must be some sick peoples' ideas of jokes. At the very surface this has some similarities to SMB3, but they are superficial at best.

There is little challenge in this game. You will lose lives, yes. But when you have 200+ extra lives, it doesn't really matter. So you can be bold without worrying too much about having to restart. Extra lives are WAY too easy to come by.

The goal more than anything seems to be collecting coins. Even beating the game (both realms) seems trivial. There are 6 worlds with 6 stages (or so) each. Then there are 3 special worlds. Then there are the Rainbow Worlds to secretly unlock.

But all of this can be accomplished in an afternoon if one is dedicated.

Buy the much better 3DS Mario title: Super Mario 3D Land. It is by far the superior game. If you have access to this game either through a game rental store or site, or local library, or even a friend, then borrow it for a few days. You'll probably get bored quickly.

Update: There is new DLC for this title, but it involves more coin challenge games and such. I still think that this is not as good as the previous entry, New Super Mario Brothers for the DS or Super Mario in 3D Land. It's not a bad game, but on playing some more I just realize that it's far too easy to get extra lives, hence the risks of dying are not great. I would honestly rather play the original Super Mario Bros. 1 or 2 (the real SMB2 that we call 'The Lost Levels' in the US).

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In the highly unlikely event that you're unaware, Nintendo makes these games about an Italian plumber named Mario. They usually involve running from left to right to save a Princess and things of that nature. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is another game like that. It's really fun. You should buy it.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 might look like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but make no mistake, it doesn't really play all that much like it. The graphics are a deception. When it comes to gameplay, NSMB2 is like a return to form, in many respects.

One of the best features of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World is Mario's ability to fly. Nintendo really nailed good gameplay in those games with the Super Leaf and Cape Feather, respectively. In New Super Mario Bros. 2, the Super Leaf makes a return, and it's GREAT. There's nothing quite like flying Mario high up into the air to look for hidden secrets.

Another great improvement over the previous game would be the boss fights. These new boss fights are closer to being on par with Super Mario World than those in the Wii game were. The enemies have some pretty creative attacks, and often make use of the elements associated with their world (e.g. Wendy Koopa, boss of the water world, causes water to cover the screen and make Mario swim while he dodges her attacks.).

NSMB2 is pretty easy, to me anyway. However, it would probably be a good challenge for someone who has never played a 2D Mario game. But that doesn't really matter, because there's much more to do in this game besides just saving the Princess. The game's main staying power comes from finding all of the Star Coins and secret ways out of the levels. Personally, I love doing that kind of stuff. Your mileage may vary.

There's also a Coin Rush mode which involves trying to get as many coins as you can in three random levels. You can also purchase brand new DLC courses in this mode. Since the standard game has more than enough levels in it, the ability to purchase additional content feels quite welcome.

In summation, NSMB2 feels sufficiently different from the previous NSMB game I'd played. I honestly believe that a lot of hate the game gets is related to its graphics. It's true that the NSMB2 could have used a new art style and some new music, but the gameplay is as good as it's ever been.

Before you down-vote this review in a knee-jerk reaction to my rating, please lower your pitchforks for a moment and hear me out. Know that it hurts me to write this review. Whenever people bash Nintendo for releasing too many Mario games, I'm always one of the first to defend them and point out how there's more creativity and effort in a single Mario game than almost any other "AAA" title released in any given year. I love Mario games, and some of my fondest gaming memories are of playing the classic Super Mario Bros. games at my grandma's house on her old NES. When it comes to New Super Mario Bros 2., there is a lot to love, truly, but sadly there are a few glaring issues that kind of bring the rest of the package down to me, especially when compared to other games in the series, even recent ones. To be fair to the game and to you, the reader, I'll try to be as detailed and informative as I can. I do not hate this game emotionally, but it is lacking in comparison to the other games in the "New Super Mario Bros." series, without a doubt.

Let's talk about positives first though, shall we?

- It's a Mario game with the tried-and-true classical 2-D Mario gameplay all faithfully intact. Mario controls splendidly and the game does a wonderful job capturing that nostalgic NES Mario feeling (Once you beat the game, you can play as Luigi as well by holding the L and R buttons at the same time while loading your game. He controls no differently than Mario, however). What more needs to be said? All Mario bros. games are known for delivering the undeniable, jubilant joys of running and jumping, and New Super Mario Bros. 2 has nailed that core tenant wonderfully. Classic Mario power-ups like the fire flower and Super Star make a return of course, but I was most excited by the return of the Raccoon Leaf from Super Mario Bros. 3. What a nostalgic delight it was for me to play as Raccoon Mario again, flying through the sky, complete with Fox-ears and fluttering tail. This game is FUN to play, plain and simple, and what more can you ask for with a Mario Bros. game?

- In a new twist on the traditional Mario formula, Nintendo decided to throw a big curveball regarding the way you approach the core mechanics. See, the game places a big emphasis on collecting coins and the way they designed the game makes coin hoarding not only a focus, but an addicting joy. New power-ups are introduced that are incredibly fun to use, such as a gold-flower that turns Mario into the Mushroom Kingdom's own version of Midus, where every shimmering gold fireball hurled turns all blocks and enemies into coins you can grab. Golden koopa shells spew coins in in its wake as it spins along the level. Green pipes shower the world in gold coins. It's definitely a unique appraoch to a Mario game, but it does have its drawbacks as well (more on that later). Overall, though, I really enjoyed the unique focus on coin collecting in this game. It was an old-school Mario gameplay element presented in a new and exciting light. That's great, and one of the more creative ideas the game has.

- The visuals are quite beautiful and are actually as detailed and colorful as NSMBW, which looks awesome on the 3DS(XL)'s screens. Little details like mini-Mario blinking his little eyes just scream attention to detail. As is expected from a Mario game, the visuals are vibrantly colorful, expressive, and super imaginative. That's all I ever expect or want from a Mario game. World themes are a little derivative, but have enough variety to keep the game from getting too stale, which is good. The 3-D effect, while being nonessential, is really cool and gives a genuine feeling of depth to the Mushroom Kingdom. It is worth noting that the higher up you have the 3-D slider, the more the background image becomes blurred on purpose to give a sense of depth. While it succeeds in that endeavor, it really eliminates details in the visuals. Personally, I played the game with the 3-D slider halfway up.

If this all sounds great to you, it should. Mario games almost never fail to deliver the goods, and NSMB2 definitely does where it counts in these areas. However, there are some glaring issues with the game that simply restrict me from scoring the game higher. Here are some of the bigger ones:

- The game is way too short. It took me 4 hours to beat the game... 4 hours to beat the game... 4 hours to beat... FOUR HOURS... Wow. Even for a Mario game, that's far too short. New Super Mario Bros. U (the best in the NSMB series, in my opinion), will take a player roughly nine or so hours just to get to the end. Four hours for this just seems inexcusable when compared to the much more substantial game length of literally every other NSMB game, especially at full price. What happened? If you go back and try to get many of the hidden star coins hidden in each level, you can probably pad out the length more, but seriously... the content volume in this game just feels paltry. When compared to other portable Mario games like Super Mario 3D Land, or the other entries in the NSMB series, NSMB2 definitely comes across as lacking in content and effort during development, sadly. Heck, even Donkey Kong for the original Gameboy (one of the best games on the system in my opinion) has more variety and content than this. What gives?

- As disappointing as the paltry length is, Nintendo's approach to fixing this issue by adding more content is even worse. If you want more content for this game, you have to pay even MORE money for dlc packs that add some new coin rush levels, the levels that most people don't care about anyway. What on earth are you thinking Nintendo?! Thankfully, they learned how to do DLC right after this game, as evidenced by what they did with Fire Emblem: Awakening and Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but it's too late for NSMB2, sadly. The DLC in this game is, to be frank, unsubstantial, generic, and way over-priced for what it is. Much of it feels like it should be in the game you already payed full-price for and comes across as a rip-off. Bummer...

- As fun as the focus on collecting coins is in this game, there's no real reward for doing so. You're constantly encouraged to try and collect one million coins cumulatively over time, with the promise of a great reward for doing so. What's the reward, you may ask? It's so lame, it's not even worth writing. What a disappointing carrot on a stick, and nothing more than a terrible way to pad out the game beyond its anemic length. Like I said while discussing the egregious DLC policy, there is a "Coin Rush" mode where smaller obstacle course are generated with the purpose of collecting as many coins as possible in a short amount of time. While this can add more incentive to play the game, it really feels like a tacked on feature more than anything. Being able to compete with other players via streetpass seems cool, and can add a lot of coins to your profile if you can beat their times in certain coin rush levels, but again, why bother? Like I said, there's no real reward for collecting coins, not even bragging rights really. Too bad.

- There is a co-op mode in the game, which is really awesome in concept. What better idea could there be than a portable Mario game you can play wirelessly with a friend, using downloadable play so that you only need one cartridge between the two of you to play the game? Oh wait, they made it so you both have to have a copy to play co-op to force more people to buy the game? Yep, thanks for that Nintendo. You gave other games like Star Fox 64 3D and even Mario Party Island Tour download play, but not this game? What gives?! There are a few problems with co-op too. Both players are forced to have Player One's camera angle, so P2 had better be a good enough co-op gamer to stick around P1. How cool would it have been for each player to get their own view of the game being played together, so that they could explore and play the level at their own leisure. It just feels like a wasted opportunity for a 2-D Mario game where each player has their own screen, and because the 3DS screen is so small, it's incredibly frustrating to stick together so close.

- Ultimately, my biggest problem with this game can be summed up by the one question I kept thinking to myself while playing this game: Where's the cream filling? For those confused by that, cream filling is basically code/lingo in the video game industry for "effort" (lol). In so many ways, this felt like more like an expensive expansion pack to New Super Mario Bros. Wii than a truly unique, new entry in the NSMB series, and it shows. All world themes are recycled from the Wii installment and there really aren't any genuinely creative levels in this game in terms of lay-out or design from a gameplay perspective, aside from a handful that make good use of the Midus Mushroom. The graphics, as pleasing as they are on a handheld, feel copied and pasted from NSMBWii. Much of the music is blatantly copied from that game too. There really aren't any new songs in this game, as most, if not all, are either copied or remixed from NSMBW. What a disappointment. As much as I love the Mario series, whether it's of the 2-D or 3-D persuasion, this one really felt phoned-in compared to Mario's history, and that's my biggest problem with the game. It pains me to say this, but this game feels quite lazy.

The pros of this game are undeniably solid, but the cons really work to weaken the strong Mario foundation of the rest of the game, and it comes across as the weakest entry in the NSMB series, and even one of the weakest Mario efforts in years. Make no mistake, you will enjoy the time you spend playing this game. Mario games are like pizza; even when one isn't very good (which is super rare, I emphasize), it's still pretty good (lol), and that applies to this game. However, given the negatives I've discussed in this review, I just can't bring myself to give it any rating higher than 3-stars (which means "It's OK" by Amazon's standards). If you're a gamer looking for a good portable Mario game, or you're shopping for one to give to a friend/family member, then I'd recommend Super Mario 3D Land over NSMB2 any day of the week. Ultimately, it is the much better Mario game on the 3DS as of this review. In context of the NSM series, New Super Mario Bros. U is, without a doubt, a better game than this by leaps and bounds in every way. If you have a Wii-U, I'd recommend that game over this in terms of new 2-D Mario games. Thanks for taking the time to read the review. I hope you found to be helpful and enjoyable. If now, go ahead and take out your pitchforks and ready that "unhelpful voting finger now. Either way, have a good day. Toodles. :)

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When I first heard about the game on Mario Wiki, I was like "oh OK cool, there's gonna be a New Super Mario Bros. game on the 3DS". I downloaded the game from the Nintendo Eshop when it came out, so I could get the 100 coin bonus that was offered at the time. After finishing the game, I can conclude that it's a nice, classic 2D Mario adventure, but besides filling up the levels with many, MANY coins, there's not that much innovation involved. It's far from a bad game, though!

Gameplay is just like the other games in the New Super Mario Bros. games (and all the other 2D Mario games except SMB2 USA) - you get coins, power-ups like the fire flower and super leaf, and 1up mushrooms along the way, and make it to the end of the level, either by getting to the flagpole or by beating a boss. The bosses are Reznor (returning from Super Mario World), the koopalings, and of course, Bowser himself. One thing that's new is how they changed the warp cannons - they still take you to another world (in this case, one of the secret worlds), but now they send you running nonstop! Think of this like the mine cart stages from the Donkey Kong Country series. Quite a nice touch if you ask me! There isn't any new power-ups for this game, sadly. Sure, there's the gold flower, and it's definitely fun to use, but it's basically a souped-up fire flower - you throw gold fireballs at enemies to gain coins, and at brick blocks to turn them into coins. There's also the gold brick block which you get by hitting a multiple coin block enough times, and you can either wear it (just like the wearable question block from Super Mario 3D Land) and run full speed to get coins automatically, or make it a fountain of coins. It seems like this game WANTS you to get a million coins! :P Oh, and the coin rush mode is the best part of the game - you pick either the mushroom, flower, and star packs, and go through 3 randomly selected levels, trying to get as many coins as you can within a strict time limit. You don't get lives in this mode, though, so that makes it a bit challenging. You can also purchase extra coin rush packs, but they cost $2.50 each. That's a little pricey considering it's just 3 levels per pack, I would've priced them at like $1 or something. But I am definitely glad they don't cost more than $2.50!

Apart from a few levels here and there, as well as the cannon levels, the game is really easy - probably the easiest Mario game in my opinion! Assuming you're an expert at Mario games, you're not gonna get a game over screen at all, because of how the game is filled with coins, as 100 each still scores you a 1up. Even when you fight Bowser, he's a pushover! (Then again, Bowser has ALWAYS been a pushover in the main Mario series, it's like he WANTS Mario to pwn him over and over again! XD) And if that's not enough, when you die enough times, the game gives you an invincibility leaf block that gives you invincibility throughout the entire level, even the final one! If you're expecting a really difficult game, then NSMB2 is clearly not for you. The biggest gripe I have with the game, though, is how they recycled the music from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, with the exception of the secret worlds. Seriously Nintendo? You reused the same music we've heard from its Wii predecessor? Come on! That's my biggest gripe with the game! The game could at least remix the main New Super Mario Bros. theme significantly, and compose new music for the desert, beach, jungle, etc.. It's not bad music, but I still wish there was more original music for this game. Oh, and for getting a million coins, all you get is a gold Mario statue on the title screen. ...........yeah. :P

Despite my gripes, it's still a good game. It's no masterpiece, but if you love Mario games like I do, by all means, go get it. However, if you weren't particularly a fan of its DS and Wii predecessors, then this game is not worth buying, especially those who are expecting a challenge. There's definitely better games for the 3DS, like Mario Kart 7 and Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon, to name a few (and on a side note, I would love to get Animal Crossing New Leaf, I heard it's great and I never actually played Animal Crossing before!). If you do decide to get it, though, I say get it for a cheaper price and know exactly what to expect!